1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a high-rise building comprising an exterior wall and a sheath, which is spaced in front of the exterior wall and defines vertically extending passages, which have inlet and outlet openings at their bottom and top ends and may be used to supply and withdraw air to and from the interior of the building and to air-condition the building.
2. Description of the Prior Art
EP-B1-0 090 794 discloses a building having an exterior wall and an exterior sheath, which is spaced in front of the exterior wall, and the space between the sheath and the exterior wall constitutes an air supply passage, which contains valve means for selectively opening and closing said air supply passage. To permit even adjacent to the window and door openings an adaptation of the heat insulation of the exterior wall to outdoor conditions as regards temperature and solar radiation, said valves serve also as shading means for the windows.
Published German Application 20 49 724 shows a cooling and ventilating system for buildings in which the exterior wall and the roof consist of double panels, by which air spaces are defined. An opening leading to the air spaces is provided adjacent to the ridge of the roof and is covered by a lantern-type roof light, and dampers are provided in the lower region so that the air being heated in the summer will rise between the double panels and will suck cool air to follow up and the interior wall facing the dwelling room will thus be kept cool. Hot air can be supplied to said air spaces in the winter. The air flow can be controlled by the dampers, which are provided at the lower portion of the double panels, and by an adjustment of the lantern-type roof light.
In Published German Application 35 08 876 it is proposed to permit a uniform air-conditioning of rooms and a compensation of solar irradiation in a building in that the latter is provided on at least one side facing the sun with means for absorbing solar heat and the heat which has been absorbed is transferred to that side of the building which faces away from the sun. Such an arrangement is intended to utilize an existing heat potential, particularly in moderate climates.
In high-rise or very-high-rise buildings, particularly in subtropical or tropical regions and in regions in which the insolation duration is very long, it has been found that the sheath of the building will be heated up and, as a result, the ambient air adjoining the exterior sheath of the building will also be heated unless means are provided for shading the exterior sheath of the building from the outside. Otherwise there will be a rise of the air close to the building and such rising air will be able to entrain air from the lower regions of the building and the pollutants, such as dust and gases, contained therein so that such pollutants will be carried to those regions of the building in which windows or suction fans are provided for a supply of air to interior rooms. As a result, it is not possible to provide for a natural ventilation, e.g., through an open window, and this will be particularly disadvantageous if the building has not been provided with an air-conditioning system because the latter would have secondary effects which are deleterious to health and because such system would have a high power consumption.